Monday, 21 November 2011

Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam must be prosecuted under international standards even if his trial takes place in Libya and not at the International Criminal Court (ICC), William Hague has urged.

The Foreign Secretary spoke out as ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo was due in Tripoli for talks over the fate of the former dictator's one-time heir apparent, who was captured at the weekend.

Information minister Mahmoud Shammam has insisted the trial will take place on home soil and not at The Hague after news of the arrest on Saturday sparked a wave of celebrations across the country.

But concerns have emerged that the former rebel faction that captured him is refusing to hand him over to the authorities in Tripoli, raising further doubts about the chances of a fair trial.

Another Libyan being sought by the ICC over his role in the repression of pro-democracy protests, former intelligence minister Abdullah al-Senussi, has also been captured alive, Tripoli said.

Asked if he backed the domestic trial decision, Mr Hague told BBC Radio 4: "I would like to see him tried to international standards, whether that be in Libya or in The Hague. That is the important thing.

"The details of that have to be sorted out between the ICC and the transitional government."

He added: "Of course, it is within the rules of the International Criminal Court that people can be tried within the country concerned, by agreement with the ICC.

"They also have every right to try Saif al-Islam for any crimes committed before February, before the indictment of the ICC."